Crocheted Butterflies

Months ago I saw a butterfly being crocheted by a cute young woman somewhere in the United Kingdom. (Online, of course, but I failed to record where and who which is sad.)  I loved that butterfly and immediately made one using worsted weight dishcloth cotton.  Even using that rather ghastly yarn, I loved the butterfly.  My head began whirling and I looked for yarn to make a pile of them for some purpose.

Butterflies in a bottle on my desk.  Nearly full!

Well, I have now finished the first thrust of the project.  I am posting the instructions as I wrote them from her words.  In the UK they call a double crochet a treble crochet, so if you see a "tc" somewhere that I failed to transcribe properly, it really should be "DC".  (When I was crocheting the final butterfly I finally grasped the reason for the "treble crochet":  before you make the stitch you have pulled up 3 strands of yarn over the hook!  Duh!  So obvious!).

For my butterflies, I used a variety of yarns, mostly worsted weight or light worsted.  I think one or two were with some ends of baby yarn.  Just use whatever hook is necessary for the yarn you are using.

Yarn used: Stylecraft Special DK

Hook size: 4mm

ch = Chain

dc=Double crochet

ss = Slip stitch

Ch 6 and insert hook into first chain and ss to create circle.

Ch 3, DC into center circle, ch 2, DC into center circle 7 times, ch 2. Insert hook into third chain from the bottom and join with slip stitch. You should have 8 clusters of 2 double crochet stitches.

Change color if desired connecting new color in double crochet space. (Do this by tying yarn into bottom of stitch then making a simple knot.  Hold the yarn ends with the prior yarn to weave in as you crochet. This is such a smart way to dispose of yarn ends!  A way I have just learned. it would have come in handy when I was working on a Granny Square afghan years ago.)

6 DC into chain 2 space, ss in double crochet space 7 times, 6 DC into ch 2 space, ss into top of original stitch to connect.

Ch 8.

Making the butterfly

Fold the work in half (wrong sides facing) and wrap the chain around the work connecting at the base of the chain with a slip stitch. Tie off.

Take a piece of yarn about 2 inches in length and tie a knot on each end. Slip the yarn under the chain and move into desired place.

You can now sew on a brooch fitting or a safety pin in order to turn into a broach. Or sew on another project!  Or glue to a card as the case may be.

The bottle was needed for storing something else so I pulled a used zipper bag out of the file drawer and now the butterflies are patiently waiting to be used up.

This is a nice way to use up ends-of-skeins.  You could have butterflies hanging all over your house.  Or you could stitch them to your hat.  Or...a myriad of other uses.